McKinley

Updated: October 24, 2023 by MomsWhoThink Staff

McKinley is a great unisex baby name that is evenly split between boys and girls dependent on culture. The name originated from a nickname for Vikings in Scotland that eventually became a surname. Despite being around since the Viking invasions, however, it has only been a top 1,000 name for the last decade.

Meaning of the Name McKinley

The baby name McKinley began as a Scottish surname. In Gaelic, the name was Mac Fhionnlaigh. This name, when English became more popular, translated to McKinley.

The surname Mac Fhionnlaigh translates to “son of Fionn Ghall” or “son of Fionnlagh.” In the early days of Scotland, there were Viking invaders who were fair-haired, and Fionnlagh or Fionn Ghall became the nicknames for these invaders in the country.

Sweet baby boy in bear overall, sleeping in bed with teddy bear stuffed toys, winter landscape behind him — ©Tomsickova Tatyana/Shutterstock.com

Nicknames for McKinley

McKinley is a young-sounding name that is lighthearted and fun. This is ironic of the darker origins that the surname had. Below, we've created a list of different options when it comes to nicknaming the McKinley in your life. Have fun and get inspired!

Kinley
Mac
Leah
Lee
Kinnie
Kenny
MK
Linny
Kin

McKinley Name Details

Style: Traditional

Gender: Neutral

Pronunciation: Meh-KIN-lee

Syllables: Three

Alternative Spelling for McKinley

MacKinley
MacKinlee
McKinlee
Makinleigh
MacKinleigh
McKinleigh
McKinly
MacKinly

McKinley Name Popularity

Though around as a surname for centuries, McKinley did not become a top 1,000 name until 2006 at rank 953. It was a top 400 name from 2013 to 2015, but now, it is a top 600 name again. In 2020, McKinley was rank 555.